Milwaukee police questioning "person of interest" in fatal shooting of 1-year-old boy

Sources tell CBS 58 Milwaukee police have a \"person of interest\" in custody for the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Bill Thao on December 27. Police arrested the 21-year-old Wednesday and the man is being held on murder charges related to the shooting. He has not been charged by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.

Friday at the Lakeview Funeral Home the family said goodbye to their son and commented on having a person of interest in custody.

Bill's father, Samboon says, \"It sounds like they know who they are, but they don't know if they can catch them all at once or one by one.\"

The funeral service was a traditional Hmong service. One was held in the morning and one in the afternoon. Thao says he and his wife struggle to sleep, and their other son is afraid of being shot.

\"My son, my older son, he's always looking for his little brother before bed and asking where is Bill.\"

A family friend says she was next door when the shooting happened.

Ah Xiong, a family friend says, \"The elders came and told us, I was saddened by it. He's a precious boy and it's hard to let go of someone you really love.\"

She says she hopes charges come down on the person of interest so the family and community can get some relief.

Xiong says, \"Put them to jail because there are a lot of kids being shot, a lot of innocent kids being taken away.\"

The young victim was shot and killed as he and his mother visited a family's home near 73rd and Mill Road on December 27. Police said dozens of shots were fired from the street into the residence, striking the 13-month-old boy. He was conscious and breathing when he was taken to the hospital, but later died of his injuries. One bullet cut a major artery in his back. Ballistics show that multiple guns were used and because of that,  police believe more than one person may be involved.

Chee Thao was in his bedroom next door when he heard the shots. \"[It] opens your eyes about that kind of situation,\" Thao said. You don't really want to live here anymore if that kind of things happen.\"

The victim's father, Somboon Thao, pleaded for those responsible for the shooting to turn themselves in. \"One second or one minute and my little happy son is gone forever,\" Thao said.

\"I don't know who or why they did this,\" Thao said.  \"But the person that did this has to pay the price.\"

1-year-old Bill Thao is the third child, ten years or younger, to be shot and killed in the City of Milwaukee during the past seven months.

CBS 58 is not naming the suspect until the person has been officially charged. 

Stay tuned to CBS 58 News for updates.